The Changing of the Flower
by kenimastar
Summary: This is the story of Lavnder Brown. Behind the giggles and the lipstick, there is a real person who pains and cries like everyone else.
1. The Scent Within

It was dark. No. It was only foggy. Lavender Brown glanced out of the window of her compartment on the Hogwarts Express. She gulped knowing that this year she would be entering her sixth year. The pressure was unbelievable. Her parents were expecting her to do famously on her OWL's, which she'd failed to study for. Her summer seemed too short, and everyday she grew more depressed as the summer nights turned into fall, school mornings.  
  
"What's up Lav?" Parvati said, disturbing the silence.  
  
"Nothing. Stop asking!" Lavender yelled out without thinking. Parvati looked surprised and frightened. Her big, bright brown eyes were stunned and nervous.  
  
"Just asking," she mumbled. Lavender felt like apologizing, but she was too caught up in her own thought to do so. This year would mean confronting the people she couldn't stand, pulling all-nighters and everything else she hated about Hogwarts. She felt tears running down her cheeks and she knew her skin would be stained black if she didn't wash up her running mascara.  
  
SCRREECH!  
  
The train stopped. Slowly, Lavender got up to her feet. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the compartment and onto the crowded platform. Parvati was still standing right next to her ranting on and on about the summer she had spent with her friend from Beaux batons. Lavender gave the occasional 'go on' to give the illusion that she was listening. The two walked up to the carriages they were riding to the castle, where they had to fight to get in. Unfortunately, Lavender found that she was sitting with Lavender to her right and Draco Malfoy to her left.  
  
"So! The princess doesn't look to excited to be back at Hogwarts!" he said in a sly tone. The other surrounding Slytherins chuckled.  
  
"Oh screw off" she mumbled with out turning from the window. She was busying herself by looking at the first years.  
  
"Oh I'm so scared. Hey, why don't we play a game?" Pansy (who wasn't to far away) sang.  
  
"I don't think so. Why don't you all just go some where and die?" Lavender yelled. The carriage went silent except for the sound of Draco's laughter.  
  
"So one who you has balls enough to say anything!" Draco exclaimed. Lavender knew he was referring to her fellow house members.  
  
Lavender shrugged. Inside she felt herself smiling somewhat. No one had ever told her anything like that. The only time she had heard anything about bravery was when people were talking about Harry Potter! He was nice and brave, and Lavender knew it. HE and his crowd were the ideal hero. She was friendly to them when needed, and they ignored her the rest of the time. This year she knew she would have to confront them. She had always wondered what it would be like to be 'one of them'. It looked pretty interesting. Life threatening. Fun. Harry, Ron and Hermione were like family: something Lavender had never had at Hogwarts. Sure Parvati was nice and her absolute best friend, but she wanted something more. A lot more. She needed a change from her usual year of discussing fashion and lipstick. She needed the thrill that only risk and adventure could provide. This year she was going to join another crowd. She needed a change, and she knew just how to get it. Or so she thought. 


	2. Offers and Hero's

"Greeting students" the substitute headmaster said. Lavender was barely listening to his speech, for it was the sixth time she'd heard it. She'd made it her duty to sit next to Harry and the others, which she had done. Harry's face was turned at the front of the Great Hall. She looked at his dark hair, deciding what words to tell him. She hadn't the courage to ask him in public. No. She'd ask him in the common room. Soon the ceremony was over, and the students fled from the hall. Before she could go after Harry, she felt a strong arm pulling her back.  
  
"What the hell!" she exclaimed. She felt herself being spun around until she spun into someone. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Pretty fowl language for a Gryffindor!" he chuckled.  
  
"Why the bloody hell did you do that?" she said.  
  
"I have an invitation for you. Do you except?"  
  
"It depends." Lavender responded. Could this be the thrill she was anticipating?  
  
"Every first day of school, we gather and we hold a bit of a party. In the dungeons" Draco said.  
  
"And Snape is okay with that?" Lavender questioned.  
  
"Of course! He doesn't care what we do unless it's like murder or something. HE has a soft spot for that."  
  
"Oh. I don't know...what will I tell the others?"  
  
"Just don't tell them."  
  
"Parvati will kill me"  
  
"Then bring her along. It's the dungeon down the staircase on the left corridor. Be sure that your not spotted. Filch will pass by there every 30 minutes after 9:30 so you'd better leave at around 9:00" Draco advised. Next he walked away with a pack of curous Slytherins. Smiling, Lavender retreated to her dormitory, glowing.  
  
"So what's up?" a voice chimed in her ears. It was a girls voice thankfully. She whipped her somewhat long black ponytail around and looked the speaker in the eye. To her luck it was Hermione Granger. It would be easy to get into the group by befriending her.  
  
"Oh nothing much. How was your summer Hermione?" she asked politely, smiling.  
  
"Good. I spent the summer in Egypt this year. After Ron went I've been begging my parents to take me. It was absolutely magical! How was your summer?  
  
"It was alright. I spent a lot of time reading at home. Went out a bit for walks. It was fun though," Lavender said, sparing her the details. Hermione's face lite up.  
  
"Read anything interesting? I read this absolutely fascinating book called 'Modern Day Witches in the Muggle World'. You wouldn't believe how many witches actually power today's society!: Hermione said intellectually. To Lavenders surprise, she had actually read that book!  
  
"Actually, I did read that book! My favourite chapter was the one about the witches who bring simplified witchcraft into the Muggle world! I also finally got around to reading Hogwarts a History. The entire time I was completely captivated!" she squealed.  
  
"Great! Now I'm not the only one in this entire school that has read it! Isn't it amazing?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, we'd better get to the dormitory before it's to late I've got a um...previous engagement" Lavender said, glancing at her watch which read '8:40'  
  
"What is it?" Hermione said curiously. Lavender knew she had to say something to keep Hermione as a friend.  
  
"Well you see this guy asked me to meet up with him today..." Lavender started.  
  
"Oh no! Don't tell me your meeting with Malfoy. Don't go. He does this every year to some girl. He gets them in trouble. You know that girl Hannah Abbott? Yeah she was one of his victims last year. When Filch came to check on their little 'party', she was blamed for organizing it. Their all in on it!" Hermione informed. Lavender's face was turning bright pink. She was stupid to trust Draco at all!  
  
"Oh. Thanks for telling me. I owe you one Hermione" she said trying to sound grateful.  
  
"No problem. Well if we hurry, we can chit-chat with the others" Hermione said.  
  
"The others?"  
  
"You know: Harry, Ron and the gang?" Hermione said.  
  
"Oh yeah the gang. Yeah I guess we'd better get going"  
  
"Yes. We do."  
  
The two ventured through the castle to the Gryffindor common room. By now they knew their way around the castle by memory. They uttered the password (Dumbledore inspired 'Chocolate Frog Man'). The common room was dimly lite, and every one was sitting around talking and greeting the first years. Parvati was talking to Seamus and Neville while applying a layer of lip- gloss. Suddenly she noticed Lavender walk in.  
  
"Oh hey! Come over here Lavender!" Parvati yelled brightly. She waved her hand eagerly. Seamus and Neville soon followed. Lavender smiled and waved a small wave. She was just about to walk over to them before she felt a grip tightening on her wrist.  
  
"Come on Lavender. Everyone's waiting!" Hermione said pulling her away. As Lavender was pulled away, she could almost here Parvati's heart burning wit disbelief. Once she was at the section of the room near the fireplace, she instantly forgot about her friend. She was now to enthralled with her new surroundings. It was beautiful. There was laughing and discussion of serious and humorous subjects. She took a seat casually next to Ron who was telling about a story he'd read about 'The Mad Muggle'. He often made comments like 'Those Muggles crack me up' or 'when will they learn?' Every one else got a good laugh out of him except for Hermione who was rather offended by some of the comments.  
  
"Well if muggles are all so 'stupid' how did they create away that they can talk to each other through small even portable devices?" Hermione said, referring to the telephone. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh learn to take a joke Hermione! What do you think Lavender?" Ron said. Stunded, Lavender improvised quickly.  
  
"Oh...um...yeah. Sometimes but not always Muggles do the most stupid things! But wizards do at times. Remember that Lockhart character?" she said. The room burst into laughter. Harry stepped up. His green eyes twinkled brightly.  
  
"Oh yeah. Stupid man. 'Celebrity is as celebrity does...remember that'. I remember all the stupid things he told me" Harry laughed.  
  
"And that lesson with the Cornish pixies?" a voice yelled. Another howl of laughter. Harry smiled broadly. For a hero, he was also a good well...guy. He was attractive and his character was just an added bonus.  
  
"So who here is excited about Quittich?" another voice yelled. Harry's smile faded. He had been banned from Quittich earlier that year. The sport was part of him. It defined who he was and without it he was well somewhat hoolow inside. The inside was still filled mostly but still.... he loved Quittich.  
  
"Buck up Harry. They can't ban you from it forever can they?" Hermione said jokingly. This worsened the situation. Harry glanced them a menacing look.  
  
"Whatever. It's late. I think I'm going to go to bed," he mumbled. He got up and stormed up to the stairway.  
  
"Oh come on Harry! It's just in good fun!" Hermione yelled. "Oh hell. Someone talk to him" No one budged. Lavender got to her feet and followed after him. A whisper went up among the Gryffindors.  
  
"Harry wait!" she called.  
  
"What is it Lavender. I'm going to bed" Harry said.  
  
"Don't worry about it okay? They'll probably put you back on the team this year. With out you, we have no chance. No offence to Ginny but..." Lavender started.  
  
Harry laughed quietly. "You're cute you know. Thanks, but you know and I know that that idiot Fudge won't let me back on. He hates Dumbledore so he automatically hates me" he said. He stopped and stared into Lavender for a minute. Her quivering may have knocked her over if she wasn't holding onto the railing of the stone staircase. Harry winked and stuffed his hand into his robe. He pulled out small bag of 'Bernie Botts Every Flavour Beans'.  
  
"Here. You looked a little blue on the way to Hog warts. Don't worry this year will be fine" he said tossing her the bag. He then disappeared into the boys' dormitory. Lavender stood stunned and smiled to herself. She then turned and went into the girls' dormitory. She'd have sweet dreams tonight. 


End file.
